Referring to the drawings in particular, FIGS. 1 through 5 show different 3D views of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the shifting device according to the present invention with different positions of the selector lever 3. The design of this shifting device with its kinematically effective elements is symmetrical to planes through the shifting device, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and at right angles thereto.
The shifting device 1 comprises essentially a central carrier 6, which is mounted in a housing, which is shown only partially by 2.1-2.5, around a selector axis 9 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The central carrier 6 has a cutout 6.1 on both longitudinal sides for a mounting insert 11. The central carrier 6 is laterally surrounded by a U-shaped, inner bridge 4, which has on both sides a round axial opening 4.1, which is engaged by the mounting insert 11 with the axial element 11.1, so that the inner bridge is rotatably movable around the axis formed by the mounting insert 11. The mounting inserts 11 arranged on both sides on the central carrier 6 thus generate a first shift axis 7, around which the inner bridge 4 can be pivoted. In addition, there is a pivoting possibility of the central carrier 6 around the selector axis 9 extending at right angles to the shift axis 7 within the housing.
The inner bridge 4 is itself surrounded in turn by an outer bridge 5, and the inner and outer bridges 4 and 5 are connected to one another in the upper area rotatably movably by the second shaft axis 8. A selector lever 3 with a shift knob 17 is connected to the inner bridge 5. Furthermore, the outer bridge 5 has one locking element 12.1 and 12.2 each on both sides in the lower area, which engage each locking element engagements 2.1 and 2.2 arranged on both sides on the housing in the middle position, and the locking element engagements 2.1 and 2.2 are parts of the housing, which is rigidly connected to the vehicle. The locking elements 12.1 and 12.2 and the locking element engagements 2.1 and 2.2 are arranged on the outer bridge 5 such that when they are engaged, they extend concentrically with the first shift axis 7. Consequently, if the selector lever 3 and consequently the outer bridge 5 are in the middle movement space, a pivoting movement of the selector lever 3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is transmitted via the outer bridge 5 and via the second shift axis 8 to the inner bridge 4, which will now likewise be pivoted around the first shift axis 7. If a sideways movement of the selector lever 3 takes place, the locking elements 12.1 and 12.2 become disengaged from the locking element engagements 2.1 and 2.2, so that a pivoting movement of the selector lever 3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is no longer transmitted as a rotary movement around the first shift axis to the inner bridge 4, but it leads only to a rotary movement of the outer bridge 5 around the second, upper shift axis 8. To disengage the locking elements 12.1 and 12.2 from the locking element engagements 2.1 and 2.2, it is irrelevant in this case whether a pivoting movement of the selector lever takes place to the right or to the left.
Consequently, three different movement spaces are thus formed for the selector lever 3 with different kinematic effects, wherein two adjacent movement spaces each are to be assigned to different functions. The selector lever 3 can be moved forward and backward in the direction of the vehicle in the middle movement space, as a result of which pivoting of the inner bridge 4 around the first shift axis 7 is generated. If the selector lever 3 is deflected sideways, a fundamentally new kinematic situation arises on both sides, because the inner bridge 4 is now stopped despite a pivoting movement in the longitudinal direction of the selector lever 3 and only a pivoting movement of the outer bridge 5 around the second, upper shift axis 8 takes place. Consequently, three movement spaces have been created, which can have at least two fundamentally different functions. As is shown in this exemplary embodiment, it is possible in the middle movement space to connect the lower arm of the inner bridge 4 to a cable or a linkage 18, which transmits the pivoting movement in the middle movement space to an automatic transmission. The selection of the different gears of an automatic transmission is usually controlled by this movement. Furthermore, both the right-hand movement space and the left-hand movement space of the selector lever 3 can be used to trigger the sequence shifting of an automatic transmission. Mostly electronic sensors, which respond, e.g., exclusively to a relative movement between the inner bridge 4 and the outer bridge 5, are used for this purpose as electronic transmission devices for transmitting shifting movements of the selection lever 3 to the transmission. However, it is also possible to arrange sensors, e.g., in the cover, and to forward the movement information electronically from there. Since the shifting movements of the selector lever in the lateral movement spaces do not induce any movements of the inner bridge 4, the cable connection to the transmission may also remain engaged despite shifting movements of the selector lever without triggering shifting operations via the cable. The possibility of movement of the outer bridge 5 is guaranteed by an elongated hole in the axial element 11.1.
For better guiding and for limiting the movement spaces of the selector lever 3, guide elements 2.3 through 2.5, which are rigidly connected to the housing, which is shown only partially, are additionally provided in the exemplary embodiment shown. The guide elements 2.3 and 2.4 represent a movement shaft acting in both directions, into which the inner and outer bridges 4 and 5 can be introduced by laterally pivoting the selector lever 3. If the selector lever 3 and consequently the inner and outer bridges 4 and 5 are in a lateral position, the respective guide elements 2.3 and 2.4 prevent the inner bridge 4 from tilting, while the outer bridge 5 continues to be movable around the second shift axis 8. In addition, the guide of the selector lever 3 is still guided by the guide elements 2.5.